Best Ways to Get Rid of Mice in the Apartaments

It is not uncommon to find mice in an apartment. While the initial discovery of one such unwelcome visitor may be starling at first, you will have to take action to eliminate any that are currently inside your living space. You will also have to do some work to prevent further mice from moving in with you.

This article will outline all you need to know about getting rid of mice in an apartment.

Best Ways To Get Rid of Mice in Your Apartment

Since you do not own the apartment you are living in, you still have an obligation to take steps to rectify the situation. Here are a few things you should do as soon as you identify that mice are present.

1. Inform Your Landlord

in case of mice infestation inform your landlordYour landlord should be the first person you contact. By informing them that you have found evidence of mice in your apartment, you can be providing valuable information. Possibly the apartment next to yours has had a problem with mice and by letting your landlord know you are helping to get the problem corrected.

You can help your landlord by providing a list of possible entry points. The list could include the following:

  • Doors

This can be a door that is ajar or doesn’t close properly. Maybe even one with holes or cracks big enough for a mouse to squeeze through.

  • Windows

Broken, cracked and windows that don’t close properly are all invitations to mice.

  • Vents

Ducting for furnaces or air conditioning provides mice with a great way to enter your apartment unnoticed.

  • Through walls/crawlspaces

Some mice will crawl up the inside of an interior wall and then chew their way through the wallboard. Others can enter your apartment from outdoors simply by digging into a crawlspace.


Check out my guide about how to get rid of mice in the walls and vents.


  • Down through the ceiling

Mice that have accessed one level of your apartment building may choose to gnaw their way through the floor and down to your apartment through the ceiling.

2. Seal Off Entry Points

Each and every entry point that you locate that has been used by a mouse has to be located and sealed off.

This will require a close visual inspection of all doors, windows and along the walls where they meet the floor. If the entry point was at a window or door, either replace them or repair them to eliminate the crack or opening that a mouse can use the get into your apartment. As for holes in walls, depending on the size you may be able to patch them with a drywall repair kit or steel wool to prevent further chewing. Smaller holes can be filled with expanding foam.

3. Set Traps

Traps are a good way to capture any remaining mice. There are several different types of traps and each is effective. As for placement of the trap, keep in mind that mice tend to run along walls so place your trap so that a mouse would have to cross over it while moving along a wall. Here is a look at some of your trap choices:

  • Live Trap

A live trap essentially captures the mouse in a cage not harming it. This permits you to relocate the mouse somewhere outside of your apartment.

  • Snap Trap

A snap trap is the standard mouse trap that operates with a spring. Once a mouse triggers it, the spring immediately snaps a metal bar down that typically kills the mouse.

  • Electric Trap

An electric trap is one that uses batteries and lures a mouse into a small opening. Inside the enclosure is a sensor and once the mouse passes it, an electronic shock is sent killing the mouse.

  • Glue Trap

A glue trap is just as it sounds. It is a piece of heavy paper that is usually in the shape of a square or rectangle and contains a surface that is covered in a sticky glue substance. When a mouse steps onto the surface it becomes stuck and is therefore trapped.


Read my full guide on the best mouse traps available on the market


4. Keep Your Apartment Clean

You can take preventative measures to help reduce the attractants to mice in your apartment.

how to get rid of mcie in the apartaments

Typically keeping your living space clean and tidy will not attract mice.

Ways to do this include:

  1. Putting away clothes and piles of other things to reduce hiding spots.
  2. Take out the garbage on a regular basis and do not let dirty dishes collect.
  3. Store food in air-tight containers.

5. Use Natural Repellants

There are a number of different natural mouse repellants out there. They work because they feature scents that mice dislike a great deal.


Related:10 Best Remedies to Get Rid of Mice Naturally


Here is a list of them to consider:

Soaking cotton balls with peppermint oil is a good natural mouse deterrent. All you do is place the treated cotton balls where you have had mice in your apartment.

  • Cayenne Pepper

Adding cayenne pepper to a cheesecloth sachet is another great trick. Just place the sachets in corners in rooms and under dressers and beds.

  • Pepper and Cloves

This is another effective combination that can be added to cheesecloth sachets. Also hide these in places where mice can be a problem.

  • Kitty Litter/Cat

Kitty litter often signals to a mouse that a cat very likely lives in the apartment. Often that is just enough to scare off mice. To make this work even better, add a cat to your household. They are expert mousers and come by the skill instinctively.

  • Ammonia

Ammonia has the same smell as the urine of most mouse predators. Just fill a plastic bottle cap with some and leave it under a sink or wherever you have found evidence of a mouse. Just remember to keep the caps filled with ammonia out of reach of children and pets.

6. Hire An Exterminator

Probably your last resort to rid your apartment of mice is to hire an exterminator.

The average cost of this service will depend on the amount of mice and the type of treatment used. For homeowners in the United States, expect to pay anywhere between $300 and $600 with some rates reaching in excess of $1,000. Some exterminators will charge a fee between $150 and $300 to inspect your apartment and then set traps. They will then follow that up with smaller fees of $75 to $100 for each visit after that. There are also companies that will sign you up for an annual contract which will cost between $75 and $150 for each quarterly visit.


Dangerous Methods to Eliminate Mice from Apartaments

There are other methods you could use to rid your apartment of mice. They fall under the category of dangerous and include rat poison and pesticides. There are many reasons why you should not use these to eliminate mice. They include the following:

  • These methods result in a slow and painful death which leaves behind poisoned bodies that could be eaten by pets or played with by children putting both at risk.
  • The dead or dying mice can end up contaminating your water if they enter into the system carrying poison.

But if you still decide to use mouse poison I recommend you to read my guide on the best mouse poisons and how to use them safely.

Conclusion

No one wants to find mice in their apartment. However, regardless of the size of infestation, there are ways to halt it and eliminate future invasions. There are natural repellants and with a little proactive cleaning on your part, you may never see a mouse in your house ever again.

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